Zero has entered a significant partnership with Rolls-Royce, a global engineering powerhouse, to support the further development of fossil-free synthetic fuels. This collaboration underscores the increasing momentum behind the use of synthetic fuels as a viable replacement for traditional fossil fuels.
Under this new agreement, Zero and Rolls-Royce will work together to showcase Zero® synthetic fuels across a range of Rolls-Royce engines used in aviation, marine, and defense applications. This collaboration may encompass Zero’s entire line of synthetic fuels, including gasoline, diesel, and jet fuel. Data gathered from engine testing will be used to meet international fuel certification standards and directly reduce carbon emissions associated with Rolls-Royce engines.
Zero, founded by Formula One technical legend Paddy Lowe just over three years ago, earned the Guinness World Records® title for the “first aircraft powered by synthetic fuel” in 2021. They recently opened Plant Zero.1, the world’s first fully-featured synthetic fuel facility.
Paddy Lowe, CEO of Zero, stated: “We are thrilled to be working with one of the world’s most innovative and forward-thinking engineering companies in a combined quest to accelerate the Energy Transition. The world is facing increasingly urgent demands for fossil fuel alternatives and it is vital for all companies to develop the solutions to achieve this. We could not consider a better engine partner than Rolls-Royce with whom to meet this challenge head-on. We have proven the genuine capabilities of our fuels in a wide variety of vehicles – including a light aircraft, a supercar and a chainsaw. As we move towards full certification of our fuels, we are starting to put in place the commercial realisation of these demonstrations and aim to be running our first large-scale production plant two years from now.”
Dave Gordon, Senior Vice President of UK Defense at Rolls-Royce, commented: “Rolls-Royce’s Gas Turbine technology is a critical strategic national capability and guilt-free synthetic fuel is at the heart of how we can continue to support the warfighter in delivering military advantage. Zero is at the cutting-edge of the synthetic fuel industry and we have been extremely impressed by their rapid progress in the short time they have been in existence; we are confident their team can continue that impressive trajectory. We look forward to a long partnership between Rolls-Royce and Zero to develop and demonstrate the future of sustainable energy across our wide range of complex power & propulsion solutions as we leave the fossil fuel era behind us.”
Zero® fuels, produced from just air and water using Zero’s proprietary Direct FT® process, can be directly used in existing engines and can be manufactured at an unlimited scale. Unlike existing bio- and waste-based Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAFs), synthetic fuels have the potential to decarbonize numerous critical sectors and industries. Zero predicts cost parity with fossil fuels within a decade.
